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.2 sheets-'sheen 2.-

(No Model.)

. P. PRINZ. l

MIDDLINGS PURIFIER.

Patentd Feb. 20.1883.

CUTTON amok .BY

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i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FAUSTIN PRINZ,` OF DUNDAS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OFV ONE-FOURTH TO lJOSEPH KILIAN GEHBIG, OF SAME PLACE.

MiDumNes-PuntFil-zii.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,475, dated February 20,11883.

i Application led June 1l, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that L'FAUs'rIN PRINZ, of Dundas,in the county of Rice and State of Minnesota, have invented a certain Improvement in-Middlings-Puriliers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to middlings-puritiers; and it consists in the construction and the combination'ot' parts hereinafter particularly [o described, and t-hen specifically defined by the claims'.

I attain my proposed objects by the mechvanisinillustrated in the accompanying draw- -ings, in which- I 15 Figurel is a seetional'side elevation. Fig.

2 is a sectional endV elevation'. Fig. 3 is a seetion al plan view; Fig. 4, det-ail views, enlarged, of the knife-ed ged sections ofthe shaker-frame; Fig. 5, a 'perspective View, detached, of the zo chop-spreadingfeed-spout; Fig. 6,a cross-section,enlarged,illustrating tliemannerot' forming the dust-catching diaphragm; Fig. 7,21 side elevation and plan view, enlarged, of a portion of the hoppers of' the shaker-frame, 25 showing the manner of securing and stretching the cloth bottoni thereon Fig. 8, enlarged `end sections of three of the zigzag chutes, illustrating the mannerin which the middlings pass through them.

3o A is'the casing or frame, in which'a second frame, B, is mounted upon springs u c', and adapted to be moved back and forth by an eccentric, O, anti connecting-rod C. Across this frame B, a short distance below .the top,

, 35 are plates or 4sections b b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 127, with the edges next each other armed with sharp metal knives or plates c, so arranged that when the sections-'b are placed on the saine plane the knife-edges will bein contact and'completely 4o close the joints between them. The first section, b', will be stationary, whilethe second section, b2, will be stationary at the end next the section b3, and adjustable Aby set-screws d at the end next the section b', so that th'e knife- 4 5 edges may be separated slightly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The end of the third section, b3, next the second section, b2, will be adjustable by a set-screw, d, like section b2, while the other end, next the section b4, will be stationary, and so on throughout the whole number, 5o so that the knife-edge joints between the sections may be adjusted as shown, the object to be hereinafter explained, Beneath the rst two sections, b b2, an inclined spout or hopper, D', is arranged, and provided vwith an outlet, 5'5 e', while a similar hopper, D2, with an outlet,

e2, is arranged beneath the sections b3 and b4, `-and a third hopper, D3, is similarly arranged beneath sections b5 b, and a fourth hopper, D4, with an outlet, e4, being arranged back of the oo section bl for the tailings. Each of the sections b will be made ot' wooden or metal plates, and covered with bolting-cloth or similar substance glued fast thereto to give it a rough surface to cause 'the chop to 4 travel over the 65 surface more readily.

' Abovethe shaker-frameB,atsuitablepoints, narrow spouts E are arranged, any desired number being used, but only two being shown in the present instance. These spouts are 7o made the full width ot' the shaker-fratrie at the bottom, but are inclinedlinward toward their tops E. They run up for about one-half the `distance between the shaker-frame B andthe top ofthe casing A, and have exit into an air- 75 Y chamber, F. The lower part of this air-chest is formed into pockets or hoppers G to re ceive the bran and dust and convey it from the machine.

H is a fan to form a suction in the air-cham- 8o ber F and through the spouts E.

I is the feed-hopper, provided with an adjustable valve, g,whereby the feed may be regu- I lated, and ending in a flaring spout, I', whose. lower edge extends the full width of the 85 'shaker-frame and terminates above it, near the front end of the iirst section, b. On the iuside ot this ilarng spout I inclined ribs or v vblades h are arranged (see Fig. 5) by setscrews, so that they may be adjusted, and with 9o their upper points terminating at equal distances apart beneath the hopper I, while their lower ends spread out at equal distances apart `along the lower flaring edge, so that the falling chop 7 from the hopper will be caught by the 95 ribs h and spread evenly uponthe full width of the shaker-frame.

J `is a dust-catching screen between the fan H and the air-chamber F, formed of unwoven cotton in the form of batting or sheets, supported by coarse-meshed wire-cloth. This allows the air to pass freely through it, but catches and retains all dust and chaff.

A knockerorham mer, yz`,will be arranged to be operated by a trip, i', connected to the operating mechanism of the machine, as shown in Figs. l and 2, at i2, to strike the dust-catcher at intervals to shake the adhering dust loose and preventclogging. This knocker, as well as knockers 'i3 i4, hereinafter descrlbed, is arranged,-as shown, on the side ot` the dusteateher or screen against which the dust-laden air is impelled. B v so arranging the knockers they are caused to strike the dust-collector in a line parallel, or substantially so, with the pores of the collecting medium and push itin the direction that the d ust is carried, so that thejar that detaches the dust from the collector moves the cloth or collector away from thedust and not toward it, whereby a better separation ot` the dust from the collector is effected. When the blow is in the other direction, or against the air-current, the dust is driven into the meshes of the collector, the separation is more difficult, and the closing of the meshes more rapid.

Across the machine, beneath each of the outlets c' c2, &c., Vshaped troughs k k2 are arranged, and provided with narrow slits attheir bottoms, through which the middlings escape.

Beneath the right side otl the trough L and the left side of the trough k2, and running parallel with them,rows of inclined slatsor chutes m are arranged at equal distances apart and ot' any desired number, five being shown.

` A short distance from the lower edges of the slats on angular or prismatic slats or bars n, are arranged, with their upper surfaces parallel with and in a line beneath the left side of the trough It and the right side of the trough 1.12, the two series ot' slats thus forming troughs similar to the troughs It" 7a2.

L L2 are two partitions between the two sets of troughs m n, and connected to each other by a hopper, K, at the bottom. These partitions are pierced at equal distances apart opposite every other one ot' the sets ot' troughs m a, and provided with adjustable valves p and inclined projecting chutes lr, running down toward and nearly to every other one of.' the angular slats a.

Above each of the angular slats a small sharp-edged wings or dividers tare pivoted, and extending upward about two-thirds of the distance between the slats n, and made adjustable b v means of arms t', connected to a rod, t2, outside the frame-work, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The upper edges of these dividerst are below the levels ot' the upper edges ot' shelves or chutes m.

On opposite sides of the casing A, in the c nter, between the partitions L L2, fans M are arranged, adapted to draw the air inward through the spaces between the chutes m n and wings t, as shown, and discharge it out through the fans.

Between the partitions L L2 and fans M walls Nof the dust-catching screens shown in Fig. 6 are arranged, and provided with kuockers i3 i4, operated by trips i5 i through rods i7 on the outside ot' the casing, the sets ot' hammers i t3 13'* being tripped by one operation. These wallsN will converge at the bottom and be connected to a cross-bar, J', provided with a spring, a, to keep them stretched and to prevent sagging.

Beneath the hoppers D' l)2 a similar system of' troughs, 7s m n, and fans and dust-catchers N are arranged, Fig. 1, representing the exterior of one set and the interior ofthe other;

or any desired additionalnumber ma i be used.

The operation ot' the apparatus is as follows: The chop, being fed in an even stream upon the first section, b', of the shaker-frame B, is caused to travel downward toward the tailhopper D4 in a thin, even sheet over every part of' the surface of the sections. This agitation causes the light particles ot' bran, Src., to rise to the surface, while the smaller particles ot fine middlings and dust are precipitated tothe bottom, the intermediate space being occupied by the coarse middlings. Thus the mass is automatically arranged in three regular layers, varying in thickness according to the condition ofthe chop. It will also be observed that the first section, b, is somewhat longer than the others, to give time for a partial sepa- 'ration into the layers before the mass reaches the first knit'e-edgedjoint, c, so that a quantity of the fine middlings will be precipitated down next 'the section b before it reaches the first joint, c. At this point the adjustable knil'eedge c on the second section, b2, will be so set that thejoint will be openedjust the thickness or a trifle less than the thickness otl the lower layer of'fne middlings,so that when the mass passes over the joint the lower layer will be cut ott and carried down into the hopper D', while the coarse middlings and bran only will pass over, and. then by the time the second jointis reached another layer of fine middlings will have been precipitated and will be cut otland carried down into the saine hopper, and so on throughout the whole number of sections. Vheu the mass reaches thefirstspoutE the suction willgather the bran npintoa ridge beneath it, and when it has nearly or quite choked the spout the Whole will be carried up and blown into the dust-chamber F, where, the air having less power over each individual particle, the heavy dust and bran will t'all into the pockets G, while the fine dust only will be carried against the diaphragm J, where it will be caught and held until knocked loose by the hammer i, as before described. Should any of the bran escape the first suctionspout E it will he caught by the second one. Hence by the time the sheet of' chop reaches the tail-section b7 nothing remains but very coarse middlings and heavy bran. By this simple means IOO IOS

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length of stroke of tl1eshaker-fra|]eB,that for' a onefinch stroke being about one and one-haltl inch long, and increasing or decreasing as the strokeis lengthened or shortened.

vThe exit-slots e, it will be observed, are n'ot quite down to the extreme ends of the hoppers l), but a small space is left to be occupied by an inclined-topped strip. l v

When the middlin'gs are thrown forward by the movement of the shakers and hoppers they will pile up above the slots e, and not all pass through at once, so that a portion is left torun through the slot at the backward stroke, which the inclined form of the top of the fillingfstrip assists them in doing, thereby insuring a oW opt' middlings through the slots e at both the forward and backward strokes of the shaker and yhoppers, and producing a steadyilow, which is the great desideratum in this class of machines to secure auniform action of the air.

outer sides of the angular or prismatic slats n lap down beneath the outer sides of thetroughs 7c and slats m,as shown, to cause'the middlings to be thrown by their momentum well upward upon the slats m, (see Fig. 8,) so as to increase the angles ot' their zigzag course and present thestream at right angles to the incoming aircurrents and aid in the more thorough separation ofthe coarse from the tine.

When running down the inclines m n the tine middlings and dust will be precipitated to the bottom of the stream and the coarse particles rise to the surt'ace, and then when the whole runs down over the points ofthe inclined sats a and drops to the next incline, my, the coarse particles will be toward the outside and the tine particles toward the inside Vof the niachine. Y

Less power of suction is required to move the tine particles than` to move the coarse particles. Hence it' the ,currents owingin-v ward are just strong enough to pickoft' ythe inner layer of tine particles the .coarsepa'rticles will be unadected and drop into the hoppers P P, while the fine particles and dust only willbe carried over the wings or dividers t. By thus arrangingthe coarse middlin gs toward the inliowing current of air a more perfect actin ofthe latter is obtained, as thel fine middlin gs are sim ply picked ofi' from the coarse ones and not brought in contact with them again. 1t' the air-currents flowed in the opposite direction, or if the middlings were not separated into layers, the tine particles would be blown in contactwitb the coarse particles and the perfect separation prevented. In the mean- The inner sides ofthe troughs k k2 and the v time, the current ot' air, with the ner middlin gs and dust, having entered the larger space between the partitions L L2 and the slats a, the air will have less effect upon the individual particles, Hence the heavier middlings will fail down into the hoppers E', through the spaces between the slats r and rear sides of the angular slats n, leaving only the tine dust to be carried through the valves p into the hopper K. f

As before described, when the middlings are passing downward through the zigzag course the ner particles are next the suction-fan. Hence it will not he necessary for the air-current to carry them through the mass, but to simply pick them off, thus greatly facilitating the action and preventing the possibility ot' the current carrying with'it any of the good middlngs. This is a very importantpointin my invention. .v

The spaces between the slats n and m and r are very narrow, being just` as small as it is possible to make them and permit the flow of lthe middlings, so that none of the currents of air can pass upthrough them. Hence the separation is conducted entirely while the mid-` dlings are falling from one set of inclines to another, and are separated into the two layers of coarse and fine middlings, yas before described. f -Y Another great advantage of this arrangement is that the air passes through the stream of middlings only at right angles to them, thus insuring the more perfect separation, as no danger exists of mixing the coarse and [ine middlings by carrying the particles upward or y downward against each other. Y,

The wings t and valves p'will be adjustable from outside the machine, as shown by rods t3, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) to regulate and control the air currents.

The bottoms ot' the spouts E will be pro-A vided ,with adjustable sleeves E2 to adjust them to the condition or quantity-of bran. or chop runningthrongh the machine,while valves E3, operated by rods E4 from the outside, enat ble me to control ythe suction ot' the fan H.

The springs a a', upon which the shaker' frame B is mounted, are set with a forward slant, so that the shaker will be given a slight Y rising and forward movement and a falling and backward movement to assist 'the chop in 1 its traveling over the sections and causethe bran, Src., to rise to the surface more readily.

The wings t will also be utilized to aid in the separation of the coarselayer from the IOO ro5 j IIO tine lay-er, as the middlings drop from the points ,I

ot' the angular inclines a, by being turned outward to divide the stream between the layers under some circumstances. f A

Under some circumstances some ofthe knifeedge joints c may-be closed by setting the two sets of blades opposite eachother whenchop requiring more time to separate its particles is being purified.

The extreme delicacy of adjustment required of the knife-edged joints renders it necessary to provide each hopper D D2 D3 with two sections, so that what one fails to cut off the other will.

The bottoms of the hoppers D will be covered with cloth having eyelets c around its edges, through which cords w, running over pins x, are lnn and tightened up by a screw, y, (seeliig. 7,) whereby they may be kept stretched tight, and thus produce a hopper that will be very light and strong. This method of tightening the cloth I now elect to claim in my application tiled July 23,1881, Serial No. 38,437.

The mouths ofthe hoppersG and the spouts to the hopper K will be provided with valves .c to prevent the air being drawn in at these points and interfering with the operation of the machine.

The edges of the shaker-frame B with which the chop and middlings come in contact will be covered with sheet metal to prevent wear.

The fans H M, it will be observed, are made with screw-shaped blades, as more effective work can be accomplished with this form than with the ordinary fan, and with less expenditure of power.

The dust-chamber F may be dispensed with and the spouts E conducted into one common trunk, and from thence into a dust-room. By these simple arrangements, the use of-the expensive bolting-cloth fot` the shaker-frame is dispensed with.

A great advantage is gained by using the narrow suction-spouts E, as only a very small amount of suction is required.

Gnrving the dust-catcher N inward is advantageous, as when the dust is shaken loose by the knockers it will fall directly into the hopper K, and not catch upon some other part of the surface ofthe catcher.

The use of unwoven loose cotton as dnsteatchers in mills is much more effective than woven cloth, as, being` without strands or yarns,

` no regular square holes occur, as in cloth, but

the loose fibers cross and reeross each other in such au interminable manner as to be certain to catch every particle of dust.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination, with a shaker-frame, B, adapted to be agitated, of sections b I;2 b3 b4 b5 bG bl, with their edges armed with sharp blades c and made adjustable vertically, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement ofthe shaker-frame B, adapted to be agitated, the adjustable knife-edgeections b b2 b3 b4 b5 bl, and the suctionsponts E, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a shaker-frame, B,

adapted to be agitated, and the adjustable knifeedged sections b b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 I, of the hoppers D D2 D3 D4, substantially as set forth.

4. The vibrating hopper D, provided near its lower end with a pendent exit-spout, e, and a beveled block or strip, as shown, against the lower end of the hopper, as and for the purpose specitied.

5. The shaker-frame B, provided with knifeedge sections b b2 b3 b4 b5 b b?, in combination with a rough-surfaced covering to the said sections to assist the chop in traveling over their surfaces, substantially as set forth.

6. In a middlings-puriter, the slats m and u and inclined chutes 1^, forming a series of troughs, arranged as shown, in combination with hoppers P P and K, partitions L L', and fan M, the several parts being adapted to operate as set forth.

7. The combination, with the hoppers D D2 D3 D, of cloth bottoms thereof, and eyelets fu, and cords and pins w x, substantially as set forth.

8. In niiddlngs-puritiers, the combination, with an agitating-frame, of a sectional bottom, the sections thereof being arranged so that from front to rear of the fratrie the rear edge of one section will be lower than the front edge of the next section, whereby as the frame is agitated the middlings will be passed from front to rear in layers, and the lower layer cut ofic from the upper and passed down between the sections, as set forth.

9. The combination of a side casing, the vertical series of prismatic bars u and pivoted dividers t, inclined shelves or chutes m, arranged to leave intervals at their inner edges for the passage of the chop down the sides of bars m, and having their outer edges abo\'e the level of dividers i", and means, substantially as set forth, for creating an air-current, whereby the middlings are caused to take a zigzag course, and the air-currents are compelled to descend through the middlings at right angles thereto, for the purpose set forth.

l0. The combination ofadust-collecting fabric or medium, a. fan, and a knocker located and operated to strike the collecting medium from the side, against which the dust is driven in a line parallel, or substantially so, with the pores of the collectingr medium, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony Whereofl have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FAUSTIN PRINZ.

Witnesses:

C. N. WooDWARD, LoUIs FEEsnR.

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